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PUCL demands CBI enquiry into all encounters since 2005 in Chhattisgarh

Press Release
| Raipur, 9th May, 2007

CHATTISGARH GOVERNMENT HAS VIOLATED EVERY SINGLE LEGAL NORM AND GUIDELINES
PROVIDED BY NHRC IN THE MATTER OF EXTRA-JUDICIAL KILLINGS- ALLEGES PUCL

The People's Union for Civil Liberites - Chhattisgarh (PUCL)
has demanded Enquiry by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in all
Extra-judicial killings in Chhattisgarh since 2005. The issue has acquired
serious proportions in the wake of the fake encounter case at Santoshpur in
Bijapur, where not less than 12 innocent citizens were killed by the State
Police. Attempts to cover up such violations by the Chhattisgarh Police of
human rights and legal processes enshrined in the Constitution of India now
need to be thoroughly investigated by the CBI and the Judicial Enquiry
Committee, as the Chhattisgarh Government has lost the moral and legal right
to do so. Such an investigation must also include killings and other crimes
committed by the Salwa-Judum with the active connivance of the State Police.

In a press statement issued today, Adv Rajendra K Sail,
President of Chhattisgarh PCL has categorically demanded arrests of those
police officials whose complicity in the Santoshpur Fake Encounters have
been established.

The Chhattisgarh PUCL has also expressed concern that the
guidelines issued by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) in the
cases of extra-judicial killings have not been followed by the Chhattisgarh
Government, in spite of repeated reminders by the Chairperson of the NHRC.

The Chhattisgarh PUCL will an Intervention Application in the WRIT
PETITION (CRI) NO. 14 OF 2007 ( Smt. Leda Versus UNION OF INDIA & ORS)
pending before the Chhattisgarh High Court. It may be recalled that Smt.
Leda, wife of a member of the Community Party of India (Maoist) name Ramesh
Nagashia has alleged that her husband has been killed by the police in a
fake encounter in front of her eyes and she was also raped. The Chhattisgarh
High Court has issued notice to several police officials and the Central and
State Governments in this matter.

Adv Rajendra K Sail, President of Chhattisgarh PUCL has
categorically stated that Chhattisgarh Government has been committing crimes
against humanity in the name of "curbing naxalism" for the past two years. The
Chhattisgarh PUCL has, time and again, brought this gross violation of human
rights through various fact finding studies. That is why, the PUCL State
Convention held on 14th & 15th April, 2007 at Ambikapur had deliberated on
the Theme: "FAKE ENCOUNTER, FAKE SURRENDERS AND FAKE CASES". Chhattisgarh
PUCL has always maintained that "extra-judicial killings" serve as the
barometer for the state of human rights in any region or country. Going by
such a barometer, the state of Human Rights is deteriorating day-by-day in
Chhattisgarh with the increase in Encounter and Custodial deaths.